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County agencies work together to prevent fraud

Some got multiple aid in the past

By Dan Barker

Times News Editor

Posted:
02/06/2014 04:00:00 PM MST

It is very difficult now for people to get duplicate services from overlapping county agencies.

Morgan County Human Services Director Steve Romero told the Board of Morgan County Commissioners that the county works in tandem with Caring Ministries of Morgan County and the Morgan County Family Center to make sure they are not giving the same person funding for the same need.

For example, in the past some human services clients would get multiple fuel vouchers from the county, Caring Ministries and the family center for the same trip, he said.

Those agencies have learned to communicate with each other to make sure that they are not duplicating that kind of service, Romero said.

That is done so that the agencies do "not allow people to manipulate any of us," he said.

Keeping tabs on the aid that is given out is beneficial to other clients as well as the organizations, said Morgan County Commissioner Laura Teague.

The subject came up as the Board of Morgan County Commissioners approved $65,000 in funding for Caring Ministries to provide emergency services to people, including funding for shelter, during 2014.

Those who are in need of emergency services can get help with food, clothing, shelter and energy costs, Romero said. This sometimes makes the difference of whether or not children can stay in their homes.

This does not mean that Caring Ministries suddenly has an extra $65,000 to give out. That money must be extended through the whole of 2014, he said.

Caring Ministries does not have an extra $65,000 in its account, Romero noted. It provides aid and then asks the county to reimburse it.

The commissioners also approved $91,000 to pay the salary for a human services' attorney, who investigates welfare fraud and does legal work for the department. This is a state requirement.

Commissioners also approved having the county accounting department keep track of human services salaries and benefits at hourly rates plus 10 percent overhead.

They also approved providing human services with personnel services such as screening employment applications, maintaining records and administration of benefits at a cost to human services of $1,380 a month.

The commissioners also approved up to $25,000 for Sexual Assault Response Advocates, Inc. to provide services to people who have been sexually assaulted.

Communications

The board also approved the purchase of new dispatch consoles for the Morgan County Communication Center, as well as new equipment for the center's radio towers at a cost of $1,069,582.

That reflects a $44,000 discount from Motorola Solutions, and is down substantially from the initial estimate of $1.7 million.

The communications center has been saving money for the conversion to new communications center, although it did not anticipate having to replace the equipment on a tower in the southwest part of the county, said MCCC Director Danette Martin.

A $682,687 grant from the Department of Local Affairs is helping with that cost, she said.

The next steps in the upgrades include the purchase of the equipment, a kickoff meeting, putting equipment on a tower in the southwest part of the county, putting new equipment on the Pawnee communications tower and lastly replacing the communications center consoles, Martin said.

Zwetzig thanked all the people who worked so hard to make this happen.

The board also:

— Approved the purchase of two Chevrolet Impalas to replace two of the county's high-mileage vehicles at a cost of $35,626.

— Approved the purchase of two Dodge Charger police sedans at a cost of $48,910.

— Approved a permit allowing Black Raven Energy Inc. to put a trench across Morgan County Road F about 75 feet west of MCR 20 to install a 3-inch gas line.

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